Please tell me a little bit history of the group?

Reno originally started in 1997 in Florida. In 2000 I moved to Colorado to be with my son. Luckily the rhythm guitar player had moved to Denver as well so I had some help restarting the band. We have called Denver home ever since. 

 

Please tell me a little about every member in the group right now, age, family, work, interests and something bad about everyone? Have you been in any other punkbands before?

Brent Loveday singer, songwriter, guitarist-

Age 39-my wife and I have been together 20years. I have two sons. Austin is about to turn 21 yrs old and Brixton is 9months old! I'm fortunate enough right to now to only play music for a living. When I'm not playing with Reno Divorce I play with Brent Loveday and The Dirty Dollars-an acoustic country and soul band. Something bad about me? I'm not sure I'm qualified to answer that.

I've been starting bands since I was 16. Before Reno Divorce it was Bad Influence and Prospect Zero

 

Johnny Crow, bassist

Age 29- Johnny and his wife are busy keeping up with their 16mo old daughter Ruby. When not playing bass he bartends, skateboards and snowboards. He played previously in a band called Homemade Tank.

 

Jason LaBella, drummer

Age 31- Jason is married and is a monster on the drums. He not only plays drums in Reno Divorce but also in American Blackout and as a session drummer, so I'm pretty sure he has no time for hobbies-just playing all the time!

 

I can hear BAD RELIGION, PENNYWISE, Social Distortion in your music? Am I right? Favorites from the past?

Social Distortion is definitely who we get compared to most. Sometimes that's a good thing and sometimes not! There is definitely a 1980s Southern California punk influence to our sound. Bands like TSOL and Agent Orange, that's what I grew up listening to. 

 

Reno Divorce., are you satisfied with the name? How did it came up? It´s a bandname which is difficult to put into some special genre? Which is the best band-name you know

-I came up with the band name when I was watching a documentary about Reno in the 1930s and 1940s. Divorce was illegal or lengthy in most of the country but you could go to Reno and get a divorce in one month. They set up a whole divorce tourism industry and the Hollywood celebrities would come there for a quick divorce. I agree it's a band name that does not scream a specific genre, but I think that's perfect because although we are considered a punk band, our music crosses into other genres. 

I’ve always like the band named “Quad City DJ’s” and not exactly punk but “Miami Sound Machine” is a great name

 

What´s the best thing with playing live?

-The energy of the crowd. Seeing people enjoy the music that you put your heart and soul into creating is really rewarding. The more fun the audience has, the more fun we have

 

And where is best to play? And the worst place?

-We love playing in Europe, especially Germany. Houston, Texas is always great. No worst place for us, we are just happy to play

 

How is to play this sort of music in USA right now?

-It's not the most popular music in the USA right now but what we do is never very mainstream. The Internet is great because it allows us to reach the people all over the country (and world) who are interested in our kind of music no matter what is popular.

 

How would you describe your music in three words? 

-Loud Fast Fun

 

What does punk mean to you, is it only a word or is it a lifestyle?  

-For me punk is an attitude. It's not a uniform-you don't need a certain haircut or clothing to be punk. It's the attitude of not conforming to other people's expectations but instead being true to yourself. Questioning the status quo and making decisions based on what you think is right, not just doing things because that's the way it's supposed to be done. 

 

How do you see on downloading, mp3 and that stuff? 

-I think it's amazing for the most part. With all technology there's a good side and a bad side. It’s never been easier for an artist to deliver their music to so many people so easily. The downside is that artists are finding that many people now don’t see music as something to pay the artist for, they see it as something free on the internet.

 

How is it to live in USA now? Politically? 

-I love the US. Unfortunately right now there are so many social problems not being addressed and we have turned into a two party system that is completely polarized. 

 

Is there any good bands from USA now?  Is the punkscene big?  How is it in your hometown?

-The new stuff from Swingin Utters is really good. Rocket from the Crypt. Denver has a lot of live music. There are shows going on every night of the week. People support the arts here, which is not always the case in the US.

 

What do you know about Sweden? 

-I know that we want to tour there! The pictures we see are always beautiful 

 

Have you heard any good bands from Sweden?

-The Headlines, The Bones and of course ABBA. My Dad was an old fashioned guy born in Knoxville, TN in the 1950’s and he loved ABBA.

 

Your lyrics, who does them and what influences you?

-I write the lyrics for the band. For the most part life is the biggest Influence. Sometimes it's things I'm going through, sometimes it's a story someone told me (usually a bad one-don't ever tell me an embarrassing story about yourself because I will write a song about it) or something I've read in a book or seen on the news. 

 

Is there any subject that you never will write anything about?

-I don't think anything is if off limits for me, if the song strikes me I will go for it. 

 

Politic and music, does it goes hand in hand?

-I think politics and art in general go hand in hand in a lot of ways. Music especially is a reflection of the climate of a society. It's a way for people who are frustrated to express themselves and a way to hold up a mirror and make 

people ask "do I like what I see?" We are not really a political band per se. We have a few songs that address some political issues (“World War III, Rocks Under the Hill, West Bank Blues”) that I wrote because I’m moved by the every day mans plight in these highly charged political situations. 

 

Best political band/artist?

-Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Hank Williams. All those cats had a statement before it was fashionable to be political

 

Do you think that music(lyrics and so on) can change anyones life, I mean people who listens to music?

-Absolutely. 

 

You like tattoos? Which have the nicest tattoo and the most unusual and who have most tattoos?

-We definitely like tattoos. Johnny crow has the most. I have the most unusual. It’s a “Holy macaroni” ( a piece of pasta with halo”) that I got while I was on tour with Swedish band The Bones. 

 

Is it important to get out physical records of your stuff? Why or why not?  It must come out a new record soon or?

-I think it's still important to have physical CDs and even LPs. Most people buy digitally now but there is something about physically holding the album and the artwork and lyrics that can't be replaced. Also for the artist it is important because selling merchandise at shows is what makes it possible to tour. 

 

Please tell me a funny thing which have happened during your career and under some gig?

-We were touring Europe with the US Bombs and were on our way to a show in Italy. We had two separate vans, ours and the Bombs, and our driver was this 21-year-old kid From Germany. I think it was one of the first tours he had driven on. The tour manager for the Bombs gave him specific directions on how and where to cross over the Alps, but this guy thought he knew a better way. I remembered waking up and we were on a gnarly switchback in the Swiss back country. Skiers and mountaineers were screaming for us to turn back but this dummy kept going up the mountain! I live in Colorado. We have some of the highest mountains in America, and we were all scared shitless. The driver acted like everything was fine and he wasn't lost, and right then we realized that we were in danger!  Finally, after much praying to many Gods, we made it back to civilization and barely got to the show on time. I think that's the closest we've been to dying on tour...

 

How does your audience look like? Which people do you miss on your concerts? 

-Reno has a very diverse audience. People from ages 8years to 80 years. We want everybody to rock with us

 

Is it boring with interviews? Is it much interviews??

-It's never boring to do interviews, It's great that people want to know about us!

 

If you could choose five bands from the past and the history and nowadays and both dead and living bands to have a concert together with your band. Which five have you been chosed?

-Johnny cash

Hank Williams

Johnny Horton

Ramones

Stray cats

 

Is punk a good way to get out frustration and become a nice person outside the punkmusic??

-I do think punk is a good way to get out frustration. Anytime you can release the inevitable frustration in life in a healthy way it makes you a nicer and better person. People who keep it all bottled up don't seem as happy for sure

 

Futureplans for the band? 

-We hope to tour Scandinavia soon. We are working on a new record as well

 

For yourself? 

-I”m also working on a full length album for my solo music. I released an EP that is available on bandcamp and hope to have the full length released there as well by the end of the year.

 

Wisdomword? 

-Keep your chin up and your hopes down 

 

Something to add?

 

Reno has two new songs on bandcamp

https://renodivorce1.bandcamp.com/

 

Brent Loveday and The Dirty Dollars can also be found on bandcamp

https://brentlovedaymusic.bandcamp.com/album/comedown-from-the-comedown

 

 

Please like us on facebook and check out our newly redone website

www.facebook.com/renodivorce

www.renodivorceband.com

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Brent Loveday
www.brentloveday.com
www.facebook.com/brentloveday